Sabrina Ionescu returns, helps Liberty hold off Valkyries

Breanna Stewart scored a game-high 23 points Wednesday night and Sabrina Ionescu canned seven straight free throws in the final 1:48, lifting the visiting New York Liberty to an 81-78 win over the Golden State Valkyries in San Francisco.

After Kate Martin drained a corner 3-pointer with 1:59 remaining to give Golden State (7-7) a 75-74 edge, Ionescu was fouled 11 seconds later shooting a 3-pointer by Kayla Thornton and converted all three for a 77-75 edge.

Ionescu made two more foul shots with 21.3 ticks on the clock but Martin sank a 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left to make it 79-78. Ionescu hit two free throws with 8.9 seconds remaining and New York (11-3) withstood two attempts at game-tying 3-pointers on the Valkyries' last possession.

Kennedy Burke came off the bench to add 20 points for the Liberty, going 4 of 9 on 3-pointers, while Ionescu, Rebekah Gardner and Marine Johannes each contributed 11 points.

Martin scored 15 of her career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter for Golden State, while Tiffany Hayes added 15, all in the first half. Stephanie Talbot chipped in 13 points and Thornton netted 11.

The pregame storyline, aside from New York's first visit to the Bay Area, was the return of Ionescu (neck) after she sat out Sunday's 89-79 loss in Seattle. But Ionescu -- a Bay Area native -- didn't score in the first half and managed one field goal attempt through three quarters.

Meanwhile, Hayes had no problem putting the ball into the hole in the first quarter with 12 points, helping Golden State take a 32-29 lead. Stewart controlled the last six minutes of the half, scoring nine of her 19 points in that span to give the Liberty a 46-43 edge at halftime.

The Valkyries went up 55-50 at the 5:23 mark of the third quarter on Martin's three-point play but Johannes canned a 3-pointer with 1:07 remaining, enabling New York to take a 64-61 advantage to the fourth period.

--Field Level Media